Apparatus for playing a game wherein the players constitute the game pieces



July 8, 1969 v I c, FOLEY ET AL 3,454,279

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME WHEREIN THE PLAYERS cousn'ruwm THE GAME PIECES Filed April 14. 1966 Sheet of 2 EFT FOOT INVENTORS.

CHARLES E FOIEY NEIL W. RABEN ATTORNEY.

y 8, 969 c. F. FOLEY ETAL 3,454,279 APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME WHEREIN THE PLAYERS CQNSTITUTE THE GAME PIECES Filed April 14. 1966 Sheet 2 of 2 FIG.3. A, I

CHARLES F. FOLEY v NEIL w. RABENS fi j ATTORNEY INVENTORS.

United States Patent 3 454,279 APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME WHEREIN THE PLAYERS CONSTITUTE THE GAME PIECES Charles F. Foley, Minneapolis, and Neil W. Rabens, St.

Paul, Minn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Milton Bradley Company, Springfield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 542,646 Int. Cl. A63f 3/02 US. Cl. 273-134 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a method of and equipment for playing a game of skill and chance for amusement and exercise purposes. More specifically, it comprehends a game which may be played by one or two or three or four or more players for his or their own entertainment and/or the entertainment of others, and which, in one of its embodiments, requires on the part of each participating player a considerable degree of skill, timing, and coordinated muscular control, all in order successfully to make such body movements as to entwine his body in a pretzel-like manner around the body of an opponent so as better to force the said opponent, because of his thereby being overpowered strengthwise or being forced into an awkward position, to break his posture or to lose his balance and to fall to the ground or surface of the playing arena or otherwise to make such bodily contact therewith as shall, according to the rules of play, dictate his being declared the loser.

In broadest terms, the primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for playing a game wherein the objective of each player is to force his opponent or opponents first to fall to the ground. In a series of successive steps, each of the players, responsive to a command, moves, simultaneously with his opponent, a command-designated limb of his respective anatomy to a player-selected one of a plurality of command-designated delineated areas within a playing arena, all to the end on the part of each player to so entwine or interengage himself with the opposing player as to allow such opposing player no alternative but to be forced to assume a gamelosing position.

Each player aims to outmaneuver his opponent or opponents in the course of a sequence of in seriatim steps or physical movements, wherein in each of such steps or movements, the opposing players, responsive to a given commond, simultaneously comply with the letter of the command by performing the dictated act of the command as a step or movement involving a named portion of their respective anatomies, the players having, in the course thereof, a certain freedom of selectivity as to the situs of the performed act, there being a plurality of areas provided from which plurality each player may choose one, with the limitation being imposed upon the players that no two players may select the identical area for such responsive performance.

In a definite sense, the game comprehends a competition in which the players compete with each other for 3,454,279 Patented July 8, 1969 spaces or loci without falling down or assuming such positions of stance as will qualify them as the game losers. I

Another object is to provide an apparatus for playing a game wherein the objective of a single player is to so move his anatomy relative to obstacles preliminarily positioned upon the playing field that he maintains his balance and is not forced to fall to the ground or otherwise to assume a stance such as to dictate his being declared the game loser.

The playing field of the game, which may be established on any indoor flooring or outdoor ground surface, comprises an arena of square, or rectangular, or other configuration, within which are delineated a plurality of loci, the loci preferably, but not necessarily, being arranged in parallel columns, with the several columns being arranged in equally spaced parallel rows.

The loci of a column may be coded as by a color or equivalent means so as to distinguish same from the loci of the other columns, or the several loci within the columns may be variously coded.

Means may be decided upon in advance as to a system and device for calling the in seriatim plays.

It may be that the game purposes are best served by a third person to be known as a referee having at his disposal a random command selection device for playdetermining purposes.

In the drawings, which illustrate one form of apparatus for and mode of playing the game:

FIG. 1 is a view in top plan of one form of playing field used in the playing of the game;

FIG. 2 is a view in top plan of one form of random command selection device for the play-determining function; and

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a pair of opposing players in the process of practising the method of the game.

With continued reference to the drawings, we have shown one form of playing field generally indicated by 10, which may be established on any indoor flooring or outdoor ground surface A, and which may comprise a square or rectangular arena 12, as shown, or may comprise an arena of any other practical geometrical configuration, bounded by a continuous outermost boundary line 14, arena 12 being subdivided into .a plurality of imaginary equally-spaced parallel columns of spaced loci, which columns extend from one end 16 to the opposite end 18 of the arena and are generally indicated by reference numerals 22, 24, 26, 28, there being four such columns in the exemplary form.

The several loci of each column are indicated by reference numerals 32 for the loci of column 22, reference numerals 34 for the loci of column 24, reference numerals 36 for the loci of column 26, and reference numerals 38 for the loci of column 28, there being six such loci in each column in the exemplary form, with the loci of the several columns being arranged in equally-spaced parallel rows.

While four columns and six rows of loci have been shown, it will be understood that any other suitable number of columns and rows may be employed Without departing from the spirit and scope hereof.

The loci of a column may be coded as by coloring or equivalent means so as to distinguish same from the loci of the other columns. The loci of the several columns have been herein shown as coded to indicate colors, loci 32 of column 22 being of the color red, loci 34 of column 24 being of the color blue, loci 36 of column 26 being of the color yellow, and loci 38 of column 28 being of the color green.

The playing arena may be drawn directly upon the ground or floor or other surface, or it may be delineated upon a suitable sheet material which may be spread at length upon a suitable supporting surface, and the loci may be delineated thereupon in any suitable manner as by being printed or otherwise demarcated with indicia or marks according to an appropriate coding system so as to facilitate distinguishment between the loci of the different columns thereof.

While in the exemplary form the loci of each column have been shown as being of the same color, it will be understood that the colors or coding of the loci of a column may be varied. For example, loci 32 of column 22 could be colored red, green, blue, etc., as could the loci of the other columns.

Further, while in the exemplification the loci are shown as being relatively large circles, conceivably they may be smaller or large geometrical configurations of any practical size or shape, Even more conceivably, small dots could be employed.

In FIG. 2 is illustrated one form of a random command selection device which may be employed to facilitate the play of the game by indicating the moves to be made by the players, as will apepar.

In this exemplification, a spinner board generally indicated by 30 has a spinner or pointer 33 pivotally mounted thereon centrally thereof as by a pivot pin 35, the spinner of pointer being adapted to rotatively sweep a ring-like dial 37 delineated on the spinner board face.

The face of the spinner board may be subdivided into four equi-sized generally square areas 39, 40, 42 and 44 by dividing lines 46 and 47 delineated on the board face, each such area carrying indicia 48, 50', 52 and 54 respectively thereon, indicating in each case a particular portion of the human anatomy and the legend therefor. For example, indicia 48 include the representation of a left foot and the legend Left Foot, indicia 50 include the representation of a right hand and the legend Right Hand, indicia 52 include the representation of a right foot and the legend Right Foot, and indicia 54 include the representation of a left hand and the legend Left Hand.

Within each area 39, 40, 42 and 44, dial 37 is divided into equi-sized segments 60 corresponding in number to the number of columns of loci provided in playing area 10.

In the exemplary form, there being four columns of loci in the playing area, the ring is divided into four segments 60 within each of the areas 39, 40, 42 and 44, with the four segments in each such area being coded to correspond to the coding of the loci of each of the columns. Thus, in FIG. 2, each of the four areas 39, 40, 42 and 44 of the spinner board is provided with four segments 60, each coded to indicate one of the colors red, blue, yellow and green.

Assuming the spinner or pointer 33 of the spinner board to have been rotated or spun so as to randomly stop at a chance location, as the FIG. 2 position exemplifies, the right foot-red command is designated. That is, the referee would so read the command that each player would respond by placing his right foot in one of the loci 32 of column 22 of playing area or, if the loci of the columns were randomly colored, in any locus carrying the color called,

It is, of course, to be appreciated that the random command selection device need not obligatorily take the form just described, it being comprehended within the spirit hereof that any practical device having a capability of delivering desired play directions to the referee and/or players may be employed.

The equipment of the game having been described, the play of the game will now be set forth.

In the play, the players preferentially will remove their shoes for reasons which will shortly be made obvious.

In a play for two players, the players will first stand at opposite ends 16, 18 of playing arena 12 at the opposite ends of columns 22, 24, 26 and 28 and will then place one foot on a nearest locus 32, 34-, 36 or 38 and the other foot on another nearest locus 32, 34, 36 or 38.

So initially positioned, the play of the game may be commenced, the referee being in position to call the in seriatim plays for the participating players.

By spinning the spinner or pointer 33, the referee is enabled to call out the plays in seriatim, each play call including an identification of the body part (such as the left foot, right foot, left hand, or right hand) which each player is to move and an identification of the loci of a specific column, on one of which loci each player is to place the so-named body part simultaneously with the corresponding movement of the opposing player.

The players are expected to move in unison and only responsively to direction of the referee.

The single qualifying rule is that one limb of one player only can occupy any one locus at any one moment.

When and where the two players reach for the same locus, the referee is called upon to decide which player was the first to arrive thereat and therefore is entitled to occupy same.

The limbs so placed cannot thereafter be moved or lifted therefrom without the direction of the referee according to the succeeding dictates of the random command selection device. An exception to such rule may be allowed in the permission granted to any player to lift a limb from a locus solely for the purpose of allowing another of his limbs to be moved therepast and conditioned on the proviso that the player shall immediately return his said one limb to that locus once the said other limb has been so moved therepast.

With a particular limb of each player on a particular locus of a certain column, and with the referee chancing to call for the movement of the said limb to a locus of the same column, the players shall each be required to move that same limb to another locus of that same column. That is to say, actual physical movement must be made by each player responsively to each called play.

Whenever one player shall fall, the game is ended and the opposing player is declared the winner. To add variety, and hence interest, to the game, such rule may be modified so as to provide that the play is terminated when the first player shall allow so much as even a knee or an elbow to touch the playing surface.

When it is desired that three players play the game, two of the players may commence playing from the earlier indicated starting points at the opposite ends of the columns and the third player may face the center of the playing area standing with his two feet on loci in a column at one or the other of the sides of the playing area.

When it is desired that four players play the game, two of the players may commence play from the earlier indicated starting points, at the opposite ends of the columns, and the third and fourth players may each face the center of the playing area and each other, each with his two feet on loci in the column nearest to his respective side of the playing arena.

If desired, the players may form teams of two players each, with the players of one team starting play at the opposite ends of the columns and with the players of the other team starting play at the opposite sides of the arena.

In team play, each of the four players must take each position called.

Partners are allowed each to occupy the same locus with one limb which need not be the same limb.

When one player from either team falls, or touches an elbow or knee to the surface, the game is over and the other team becomes the winner.

The game can conceivably be employed as a round robin game by players forming two-player teams and playing a round robin tournament, with each team, in turn, playing every other team with a score of the team wins and losses being kept. The team with the most wins is the winner.

The game can also be used as an elimination game with the players forming two-player teams. After two teams have played one game, the winning team comes back to play other winning teams. The losing teams drop out. Winning teams continue to play winning teams until there is only one team left, which team is declared the winner.

The game conceivably could be played without a referee, with one player cal-ling the name of the limb and the other player calling the column from which the locus would be selected.

Recognizing, as in the Japanese jujitsu (the art of judo), that the ultimately victorious contestant may be the one who initially yields or gives way for the purpose of maneuvering the opponent into a more unfavorable position with respect to balance or leverage, wherefore the one contestant may then advantageously effect a throwing of the opponent, the present invention is based upon a method of play aimed at causing one opponent to lose his balance.

The game could also conceivably be played by a single player for his own amusement or to increase his dexterity and playing skill. In such event, any appropriate obstacles such as balloons or sticks or blocks are placed on certain of the loci wherefore the player is limited in his choice of loci responsive to commands as dictated by the random command selection device.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Game playing apparatus comprising sheet material defining a confined playing area, a plurality of columns of loci delineated on said playing area, the loci being of such size and spacing as to permit the placing of dilferent portions of the human anatomy on diiferent loci, different groups of loci being of different colors, a chance controlled selection device comprising a spinner board bearing indicia designating diflerent group colors and dilferent ones of said portions of the human anatomy and a spinner or pointer pivotally mounted centrally on the board and adapted to be spun and then allowed to come to rest to select indicia designating a group color and a portion of the human anatomy.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the board is divided, around the spinner, into areas each of which contains a different one of the indicia designating portions of the human anatomy.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the designated portions of the human anatomy are respectively the left hand, the right hand, the left foot and the right foot.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said areas is divided to define sub-areas which are colored to provide said group color designating indicia.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,413,481 4/1922 La Borie 273-134 1,310,259 7/1919 Thomas 273-134 1,490,201 4/ 1924 Brown.

3,024,020 3/ 1962 Alton 273-1 X 3,111,313 11/1963 Parks.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 273-141 

